Replacing Balloon Framed Studs

Danno6102

I am moving a window in my own home. 1. because it's frame like crap to begin with (no header & much more) & 2. It's location looks terrible. I need to replace & add a couple studs when I do this. Due to the balloon framing I need to replace from first floor to roof, about 20'-ish. I can't use a solid 20' stud due to the second floor & other studs, so I need to make a lapped stud, like a pole barn. What is the minimum overlap required & is a double stud enough or is a triple stud required when lapping like this? I hope all that makes sense.

Thanks,
Dan

JonM

I would go 2 10' on one side and a 5'- 10' and 5' on the other side

neolitic

They didn't do headers or frame RO's
the way we do.
If you just use a header sized for the
opening created by all of the crippled
(cut) studs(old opening as well as the new),
run your king studs from the sill plate to
the 2nd floor joist (continuous),
and make sure that the jacks are
carrying all the load to the sill, you'll
be all right.

__________________
Put your location in your profile!
(Sorry....it seems there really are dumb questions)

Joe Carola

Dan,

You don't have to go all the way to the first floor for this. Figure out where you opening will go and cut the stud out on each side of the opening to get to the next stud on each side so that you can sit a header across the existing studs with the top of the header at the window RO acting as the sill.

Now your header/sill spans from one existing stud to the next existing stud bigger than your required RO. After that you will make the top header the same size as the sill header you just made. Once you install the two header just cut four studs to the height of your RO and nail them in between the two headers and your done.

Let's say your putting in a 32" window, you cut two studs out of a 16" center wall and that will give you roughly a 46-1/2" opening. That's what you cut your sill header and top header at. They will have a small cantilever off both existing studs which is structurally fine.

On a wall where the joists run perpendicular to the studs like I have in my drawing you can put a header hanger on or put an angled 2x4 on. In the drawing the lighter studs are the existing studs and the darker studs are the new studs and headers. I always do this and never had a problem with inspections before.

One time I cut the header for the bottom of the window so that the bottom of the header sat right on top of the floor joists. I framed the 2x4's up from the to the correct RO.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Joe Carola

neolitic

I thought we were on the first floor
for some reason.
Oh well, Joe's got prettier pictures
anyway.

__________________
Put your location in your profile!
(Sorry....it seems there really are dumb questions)

Joe Carola

I thought he was talking about the second floor. Maybe I'm wrong, my bad. Either way, if he's talking about the first floor he still doesn't have to go 20' up to the second floor.

__________________
Joe Carola

neolitic

I've never found it necessary.
Maybe he'll be back to straighten us out.

__________________
Put your location in your profile!
(Sorry....it seems there really are dumb questions)

JonM

I thought he wanted to replace & add a couple studs...

neolitic

We're probably all wrong!

__________________
Put your location in your profile!
(Sorry....it seems there really are dumb questions)

Joe Carola

We're entitled once a year....

__________________
Joe Carola

Danno6102

Yes, it's a second floor window. My joists run parallel with the wall in this situation though. I do need to replace some studs from the first floor up due to poor repair framing done by a previous homeowner of an old opening, but if I drop the sill header close to the second floor I can probably wiggle some new studs in there.

Thanks for the lesson guys! I think I have my plan of attack. If not, I'm sure I'll bump this thread again.

Dan